Time To Make The Ravioli’s!!!

This past Saturday, was our annual ravioli making day, we started at noon and by 4:30, we had finished with a grand total of over 400 ravioli’s, not bad huh? There were 5 of us, and after we figured out who was going to do what job, we grabbed our aprons and got going!

I love the convenience of making the pasta dough in a food processor, when you’re making so many batches, it really goes fast, and every batch comes out perfect! In a matter of seconds it all comes together!

As we made the batches of dough, we would wrap them up so they wouldn’t dry out.

Ahhhh, The convenience of a pasta machine! I remember back in the day when I would roll the dough out all by hand, lot’s of work, and very time consuming! Besides, a pasta machine does a way better job! The dough comes out perfect.

After you figure out your first batch, it goes pretty fast, because you’ll know what numbers you’ll be doing your cranking on.

Back in my younger days, I never used these ravioli forms. I would make mine all by hand, each one having their own individual “look”. But not anymore! I like this so much better!

Just make sure you flour the forms really good. See those zig zags? You have to make sure that you rub the flour into all those grooves, or you won’t be able to flip the ravioli’s out.

So here the rolled out dough is placed on the floured form, and into each indention you place your filling. Here we used a mixture of meat, cheese and spinach, a wonderful recipe from my Daughter- in laws Nana.

Same thing here, only this time we used a mixture of ricotta cheese, grated romano, fresh chopped parsley, salt and pepper.

Now top your filling with another sheet of dough, and take a little rolling pin and roll over those zig zags, doing this is, will actually cut your dough. When that’s all finished, start at a corner and pull up a little, turn the form over, and they all should pop out! Remember, flour is your friend, you don’t want them to stick!

When they come out, they look like this, now just brush off the excess flour.

Close up….Aren’t they pretty? See how the ravioli form cuts them so perfect?

We first freeze them individually on cookie sheets, and then when they’re frozen, we bag them all up. This was when we were only half way through!

If you never made homemade ravioli’s, I would highly recommend you give it a try.

Not only do they taste outstanding, they’re so much fun to make with your family.

Um,I think you need a 6th person in your troop to taste test these beautiful raviolis. I volunteer myself for the task! Ravioli is hands-down my favorite of all pasta dishes. I’ve never used the form, and looking at your pictures has me wondering flicking my forehead as if to say … why haven’t I tried to do it this way!!! The best part of this post though, even more so than those fabulous bundles of pasta, is that you all did this together. Great post!

400 ravioli! Holy @$#%! I am so impressed. They really look beautiful too! It sounds like you had a very productive and fun afternoon. I hope you enjoy them. If you need any help eating them, let me know!

This looked like so much fun Marie! I wonder what’s better, making them or eating them? I like the way you took lots of pics and showed us the process step by step. Can you use this same dough recipe to make other types of pasta as well?

I’m just speechless. I think I am going to do the following (in this order): go shopping for a pasta machine and ravioli molds; recruit people to form my ravioli making team (after a thorough vetting process); get to work with some serious ravioli making! I can’t even imagine how truly wonderful that these must be! I hope to find out someday soon!

Wow! 400 ravioli…that’s insane.You’re right though the machines make it so much easier. I remember as a kid my mom mixing and rolling everything by hand. I can’t imagine doing that today. I do still cut mine by hand though. Enjoy!

I am GOING to get those ravioli molds. We always have ravioli (store bought) in the freezer. I’ve never even thought of making it myself, but you made it look so easy. I have a pasta attachment for my KitchenAid that is just waiting to be used! Thanks for the inspiration! Now I want to have a ravioli making session and freeze a bunch!!

Once again, you have me feeling nostalgic for home, Marie. I used to make ravioli with those same trays when I still lived at home. I’m so happy to hear that ravioli making is a tradition in your family. They look perfect.

This reminds me of my Aunt Rose back in Boston. When we were kids, I can remember going to her home and feasting on her homemade ravies. They were huge and with a meatball or two we could only eat may 2-3 ravies.

Mmmmmm I can just taste the explosion of flavor in my mouth and the extreme comfort I felt after eating A. Rose’ “Ravioli’s”.

What a super post- you have me desiring homemade pasta. Would you share your recipes for the food processor pasta dough and your ravioli fillings?I would love to tackle this with my Mom and MIL…I dont know if we can do 400 but maybe enough for a holiday meal! Thanks so much and I just love your blog…Grazie….

I love all the info, but no one ever has any information about how to actually cook the raviolis. after its all stuffed and separated and yummy looking, how long do you cook the raviolis in boiling water? and after you freeze them, do you thaw them before boiling? Thanks!

Halli, after they rise to the top in boiling water you let them cook for about 3 minutes if fresh, when frozen let them rise to the top and let them cook 5-6 minutes.
I always take one out and with my fork I test the edges, that is really the best way because it all depends on the thickness of your dough.I would encourage you to do that just to make sure.

Hi I want to get our family together and do the Ravioli, what recipe do you use for the pasta dough, meat filling, and the cheese filling.? thank you for you time. going to get your molds they look nice.

Hello and Welcome!

I’m Marie, a wife, mother, mother-in-law, and gramma of two beautiful girls. My passion is food, clear and simple but especially Italian food, hence the name of my blog, Proud Italian Cook. I want you to feel right at home here so grab a cup of coffee, I’ll get the pastries, take a look around and enjoy your visit! {Read More About Me}